1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bioreactor arrangement, comprising a bioreactor and an illuminating body for illuminating a medium arranged in a reactor interior, the illuminating body comprising at least one emission surface via which electromagnetic radiation, such as light, reflected by at least one end surface into the reactor interior, is emitted.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention furthermore relates to a shaking device comprising a holder, which can be set in oscillation, for a bioreactor formed as a container comprising a transparent wall.
The invention furthermore relates to a method for irradiating a medium in a bioreactor, which comprises a transparent wall and is set in shaking motions in a shaking device, with electromagnetic radiation, such as light.
For the cultivation of phototrophic cell cultures in bioreactors, besides the ambient conditions, for example temperature, humidity and CO2 content, the illumination is of crucial importance.
DE 298 19 259 U1 discloses a bioreactor arrangement which comprises a photobioreactor, in the reactor interior of which a cylindrical illuminating body is arranged. From a light source arranged outside the reactor interior, light is reflected into the end surface of the illuminating body via a light guide which passes through the reactor wall and is fanned out annularly in the reactor interior, this light then being emitted laterally via the cylindrical surfaces of the illuminating body. For the lateral emission, the transparent illuminating body comprises inclusions, or particles. In order to enhance the lateral emission, the side surfaces of the illuminating body may furthermore have a roughened surface.
A disadvantage with the known bioreactor arrangement is that the reactor wall has to be interrupted in order to introduce the light guide. This leads to a relatively elaborate and expensive configuration of the bioreactor. Such a bioreactor is furthermore not suitable for being used as a foldable single-use bioreactor in the form of a bag.
Furthermore, WO 2010/016538 A1 discloses a photoreactor arrangement in which the reactor interior likewise contains an illuminating body, via the end surface of which light is reflected in and is emitted via lateral emission surfaces. The light is in this case reflected in via LEDs preceding the end surfaces.
This bioreactor arrangement also has the disadvantages mentioned above.
WO 2009/069967 A2 discloses a photobioreactor formed in the shape of a cuboid or cylinder, in the reactor interior of which flat or cylindrical light-emitting illuminating bodies are arranged. Light from LEDs is coupled into the illuminating bodies. To this end, it is necessary to encapsulate the LEDs together with their circuit boards hermetically.
This bioreactor arrangement also has the disadvantage that it is relatively elaborate and expensive. Also, this bioreactor arrangement is not suitable for the use of flexible single-use bioreactors.
Lastly, illuminating bodies in the form of light-guide plates are also known for example from DE 44 32 515 A1 and DE 10 2008 28 497 A1.
In order to ensure the necessary gasification and the necessary nutrient transfer for the medium contained in the bioreactor, or the cell culture, mixers or stirrers are used in the bioreactors.
Particularly in the case of bioreactors which are used as flexible single-use containers, shaking devices are used for mixing which shake the bioreactor with the medium contained, or set it in vibrating or tilting motion.
For instance, EP 1 173 542 B1 discloses a shaking device which comprises a reactor holder for a flexible container, which can be set in oscillation.
A disadvantage with this device, which has essentially been found, is that it cannot be used in conjunction with plant cell cultures, which require defined illumination, as a medium in photobioreactors. The climatic system in the reactor interior should not in this case be interfered with by input of heat, for example heat generated by a light source.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bioreactor arrangement comprising a bioreactor, which is suitable for being used as a photoreactor for the irradiation of a medium with electromagnetic radiation, in particular light.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a shaking device for a photoreactor formed, in particular, as a flexible container.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for the irradiation of a medium in a bioreactor comprising a transparent wall, wherein the bioreactor can be mixed in a shaking device.